Type-writer desk.



PAT-ENTED 0016,1903.

F. H. HOWE. TYPE WRITER DESK. APPLIGATIOK FILED MAR. 23, 1903.

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PATEN'TBD 001". 6,1903.

P. H. HOWE. TYPE WRITER DESK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1903.

2 BEEET8-SEBET 2.

latented October 6, 190:5.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. HOWE, on OURTICE, OHIO.

TYPE-WRITER DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 740,434, dated October6, 1903. Application filed March 23, 1903.- Serial No. 149,052. (Nomodel.)

To, wZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. HOWE, of Gurtice, county of Ottawa,and'State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Im provements inType-Writer Desks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the'figures ofreference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention has reference to a type-writer desk, and embodies the noveldetails and features of construction hereinafter shown and described,and illustrated in the accompany.

ing drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improveddesk, showing the same closed. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the desk,showing the swinging frame for supporting the type-writing machine inraised position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation, the parts insection being indicated by the line a; m, Fig. 1.

\ Referring to the details of construction, the body of the desk isarranged with a drawerpedestal 1 to the left and space or well 2 to theright, the fiat top 3 extending over both the drawer-pedestal and thewell. Arranged in the top is a rectangular opening 4 of asize to permitthe type-writing machine to be elevated therethrough.

5 is a swinging section or frame hinged at its rear end at 6 to thedesk-top.

7 represents parallel guides upon the swing.

3,) which operates to engage the swinging frame 5 and hold the slide inposition. When it is desired to draw the slide outward, the catch 10 islifted by means of the bent lever 11, thereby disengaging the same fromthe swinging frame. If it is desired, the slide,

with the machine clamped thereon, may be instantly removed from the deskwhen the machine is to be used elsewhere. Extending downwardly from thelower face of the swinging frame and located at a point near the leftforward corner of the same is a rod 12, formed with an eye 13, to whichone end of a cable or rope 14 is secured. "lhe rope is directed overpulleys 15, 16, and 17, respectively, and is then extended downwardlyand is secured to a weight 1-8, guided vertically at the rear of thedrawer-pedestal in the space provided therefor immediately behind thedrawers therein. The weight 18 exactly counterbalances that of thetype-writing machine and is adapted to support the same in any posi'tion desiredgthe raised position of the swinging frame being shown infull lines, Fig. 3,

whereas the lowered position is shown in dotted lines. W hen theswinging frame is raised,

thecatch 19 the same would swing forcibly.

downward into the well with a liability of damageto the type-writingmachine. I have obviated this danger .by providing a safety means toholdthe swinging frame from falling into the well when the rope isaccidentally parted. The means I employ comprise an arc-shaped plate 21,secured to the side of the well, and upon the inner marginal edge of thesame are provided serrations 22, adapted to be engaged by a pawl 23,pivoted to the side of the swinging frame, a spring 24, secured at oneend to the frame and at the other to thepawl 23, causing'the pawl toengage the serrations when not disengaged by other means. In order thatthe pawl shall at all times be disengaged, except when the rope parts,there is provided a laterally-extending eye upon the pawl, throughwhich-the rope 14 extends. The tension of the ropeis such that the pawlwill be disengaged from the serrations so long as the same is intact;but the instant the rope is parted and the tension removed the pawl willbe released and engage the serrations to arrest the fall of the swingingframe and the machine carried thereby. As a result of this constructionthe swinging frame is insured against falling, the pawl 23 engaging theserrations ofthe arc-shaped plate instantly when the tension of thelifting-cable is released. I It will be seen that so long as the partsoperate normally neither the pawl 23 nor the serrated plate will assistin the operation of the device, except to protect the same againstinjury. To lower the machine into the well, the slide carrying the sameis pushed inward to the position shown in Fig. 3, the gravity-operatedcatch 10 holding the slide in this position. The springcatch 19 is thenwithdrawn, and the machine is depressed by exerting a slight pressurethereon. The machine having now been lowered into the well, therectangular opening at the top is closed'by ahinged leaf 24, which ismade to take the position in dotted lines, Fig.

1, when the machine is to be elevated.

25 is a hinged member adapted to close the forward side of the well toexclude dust from the machine when lowered into the desk, the

clude dust therefrom, the same being hinged at 29. The free end of themember 28 is adapted to slide upon the inner face of the member 25, sothat when both members are depressed they take the position in dottedlines a, Fig. 3, forming nearly a right angle, as shown, the spring 27being elongated and under tension.- The members are moved to thisposition automatically when the typewriting machine is lowered, sincethe forward end of the swinging frame carrying themachine will contactwith the member 25 and force it outward, the member 28 then falling bygravity and holding the member 25 in outward position. I have provided aflexible connection 30, either alight chain or a cord, between the outerend of the swinging frame and the free end of the member 28, which is ofa length to cause the member 28 to be lifted slightly from its loweredposition when the swinging frame is raised.

In Fig. 3 are shown in full lines the members 25 and 28, respectively,at the instant when the swinging section has been raised,

There is also a hinged member 28,.

position they will continue to move upward to the position indicated bydotted lines I),

'Fig. 8,'since the angle between two sections has been increased, theedge of the section 25. It is apparent that the hinged members 25 and 28after once being'started in their upward movement will continue sobecause of the action of the coiled spring 27. It will thus be seen thatthese members will be antomatically raised when the swinging sectioncarrying the type-writin g machine is elevated to be out of the Way ofthe knees of the operator when the machine is in use, and the same willalso be lowered automatically when the swinging section is depressed.

From the foregoing description the novelty and utility of my inventionwill be apparent.

Having described my invention, what -I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. In a type-writer desk, a swinging section for supporting thetype-writing machine, hinged to the desk-top, a flexible lifting-cablesecured to a movable part of the swinging section and maintained undertension by suitable means, an arc-shaped plate provided with marginalserrations, arranged adjacent to the swinging section, and a pawlcarried by the swinging section adapted to engage the arc-shaped platewhen the tension on the lifting-cable is released, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a type-writer desk, a swinging section hinged to the desk-top,adownwardly-extending rod arranged at the forward end of the swingingsection, a flexible lifting-cable suitably guided over pulleys andattached at one end to the rod and having a weight secured to the otherend thereof, a serrated plate arranged adjacent to the swinging section,and a spring-actuated pawl pivoted to the side of the swinging sectionprovided with means for engaging the lifting-cable, whereby when thetension of the cable is released the pawl will engage the serrated plateand be disengaged therefrom when the cable is under tension,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

,. FRANK H. HOWE.

